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AAAS Riley Memorial Lecture: Designing Pest Suppressive Agricultural Landscapes for a Changing World 

Informational Session Washington, D.C.

Agricultural pest management

Identifying Proteins Required for Immunity to ASFV 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,000,000

Location   Plum Island, NY

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   National Pork Board

Grantee Institution   USDA

African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious, fatal disease in pigs that spreads rapidly and there is no commercially available vaccine to mitigate the spread of ASFV. Led by Dr. Douglas Gladue, USDA researchers are pinpointing the viral proteins involved in immunity and infection to develop a vector-based subunit vaccine, a vaccine that include a component of the virus to stimulate an immune response, for ASFV.

Analyzing the Efficacy of Live-vectored Prototype ASFV Subunit Vaccines 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $150,000

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   Manhattan, KS

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   MEDIAN Diagnostics

Grantee Institution   Kansas State University

African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious, fatal disease in pigs that spreads rapidly and there is no commercially available vaccine to mitigate the spread of ASFV. Led by Dr. Waithaka Mwangi, Kansas State University researchers are using an adenovirus vector vaccine, which is a tool used to deliver target antigens to the host, and a paper-based diagnostic test that distinguishes vaccinated from infected animals.

Fast Tracking Climate Solutions from Global Germplasm Banks 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $5,000,000

Total award amount   $11,500,000

Location   Texcoco, Mexico

Matching Funders   Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Grantee Institution   CIMMYT

This initiative, led by the CGIAR in partnership with FFAR and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), is advancing transformative approaches to expand the utilization of high-value genetic diversity from germplasm banks to develop new crop varieties for millions of small-scale farmers worldwide.

RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time 

Breakthrough for Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Reinvestment

Promoting Mung Bean Crop Opportunities 

Assessment of the Available Literature & Gap Analysis on the Use of Industrial Hemp as an Animal Feed 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $6,972

Total award amount   $13,944

Location   Lexington, KY

Matching Funders   International Hemp, University of Kentucky Research Foundation

Grantee Institution   University of Kentucky

Hemp grain and fiber have a favorable amino acid profile compared to other grains and excellent omega-3 fatty acid compounds, giving them potential as a feed additive for both companion pets and livestock. However, under current Food and Drug Administration and Center for Veterinary Medicine guidelines, hemp is prohibited for inclusion in the diets of livestock, primarily due to safety concerns of possible THC and other chemical transference to the animals or to humans through meat consumption. University of Kentucky researchers are identifying and organizing previous scientific studies using hemp as animal feed to find knowledge gaps that could identify future research opportunities and develop research goals that could more rapidly lead to federal approval of hemp grain and fiber as feed additives.

Multistate Characterization of Agronomic Performance of Hemp Cultivars, Including Sterility of New Triploid Cultivars 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $51,627

Total award amount   $103,254

Location   Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders   NC State University, Oregon CBD

Grantee Institution   NC State University

Increased field production of grain and fiber hemp results in significant amounts of wind-dispersed pollen. Pollination of floral hemp grown for cannabinoids can result in reduced yield and unmarketable quality due to the presence of seeds, which is unacceptable in smokable flower. Consequently, farmers growing floral hemp require tools to minimize the threat of pollination. NC State University researchers are studying sterile varieties of hemp for their potential to retain sterility over multiple growing seasons, and gathering data on these varieties’ flowering and harvest, seed production, floral biomass and cannabinoid concentrations.

Breeding & Genetics of Disease Resistance, Flowering Time & Cannabinoid Content in Hemp 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $150,000

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   Cornell University, The Scotts Company LLC

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Cornell researchers are focusing on breeding for traits that help adapt hemp to different regions and growing environments, including outdoor and controlled environments. Top priorities include understanding the genes controlling flowering time, mildew resistance and minor cannabinoid production in hemp. The researchers aim to develop molecular markers for the genes controlling these traits to facilitate breeding.

Analysis of Terpenes & Neutral Cannabinoids Using Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry & Genotyping of Hemp Using the SureSelect System 

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $251,000

Total award amount   $502,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   Agilent Technologies, Cornell University

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Cannabis can produce high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, which help defend against pests and have potential economic, pharmacological and societal value. Mapping the genes in hemp that control the production of these compounds is a critical first step in developing genetic markers that can be used in breeding programs. Cornell researchers are using an Agilent Technologies mass spectrometry platform to examine the diversity of cannabinoids and terpenes produced by hemp, ultimately assisting breeding for defense against herbivores and for compounds with pharmacological and wellness value.